The present invention relates to therapeutic gloves.
Therapeutic gloves help to exercise hand and arm muscles that control finger movement. Strengthening of these muscles provides relief for arthritis and hand injuries such as may result, for example, from excessive finger strain common in occupations requiring precise finger movement. Typists, barbers, cooks, and musicians are examples of such occupations. Muscle strengthening is also desirable to alleviate problems caused by inadequate exercise or aging process. A therapeutic glove strengthens the muscles by offering resistance to the hand and finger bending in finger exercises.
FIG. 1 illustrates some features of a glove described in PCT application no. WO 97/00027 by Wiggins, published 3 Jan. 1997. Increased resistance to finger bending is provided by elastic bands 110 positioned in channels formed in the glove's fingers 114 below the surface of the glove body. Each band 110 is attached to a respective ring 120 at the tip of the respective finger, and is also attached to a respective “anchor rod means” 130 near the knuckles. When the hand's (and glove's) fingers are closed, the elastic bands 110 are stretched, exerting a reverse counterforce, pulling the fingers “back straight so as to open the hand and aid in exercising the fingers” (see page 18, first paragraph of the PCT application).
Elastic bands 140 are attached between respective anchor rod means 130 and a retaining tab 150. Each band pair 140, 110 attached to the same anchor rod means 130 may or may not be part of a continuous band. Retaining tab 150 can be attached to an adjustment strap 160 at the wrist portion of the glove. Adjustment strap 160 has hook-and-loop fasteners (not shown) so that it can be fastened tight around the user's wrist. Before being attached to strap 160, tab 150 can be pulled to a comfortable position according to the hand's size. Tab 150 is then attached to strap 160 by hook-and-loop fasteners (not shown), which may or may not provide additional tension.
FIG. 2 shows a finger of another glove, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,924 issued 17 Sep. 2002 to Block. This glove advantageously allows the user to adjust the resistance to finger motion and to target specific fingers for exercise. The resistance is controlled by resilient members 210 placed above (or below) the glove's fingers 114. The resistance is adjusted by “complimentary interlocking fastening members” at the ends 210E of the resilient members 210.
Alternative glove designs are desirable.